Horseshoe-calk.



J. W. MILLER.

HORSE-SHOE UALK.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1912.

Inventor Attorneys y I/ o JOHN WALLACE MILLER, 01? BERNHARTS, PENNSYLVANIA.

HORSESHOE-GALK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13,1913.

Application filed August 2, 1912. Serial No. 712,982.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN WV. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bernharts, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Horseshoe-Calk, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to horseshoe calks, and has for its object to provide a member adapted to be engaged with the horseshoe and which is adapted to receive and clamp the shank of a calk, and means to lock the shank of the calk to the said member, this invention being particularly an improvement over the horseshoe calk disclosed in my Patent No. 645,602 issued March 20th, 1900.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a device of this character Which is simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, and which shall be convenient and eflicient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view this invention resides in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein the invention is illustrated, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective of a fragmental portion of a horseshoe embodying the present, calk. Fig. 2 is a similar view looking in the opposite direction. Fig. 3 is a detail in elevation and partly in section, of the calk attachment. Fig. 4 is a detail in elevation of the plug or clamping member, without screw threads. Fig. 5 is a detail in plan of the locking member for engagement with the shank of the calk, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an implement which may be used for engaging and disengaging the locking member with or from the shank of the calk.

Referring specifically to the drawings wherein similar reference characters denote corresponding parts, the calk is designated by the numeral 8 which may be of any suitable type, either blunt or pointed, and which is provided with a round shank 11. This shank 11 forms a shoulder 9 at the inner end of the calk 8, and a fillet 10 is provided between the inner end of the shank 11 and the inner end of the calk 8, the shank 11 also having an annular groove or channel 12 adjacent its outer end forming a flange or head 13 of a diameter slightly larger than the inner portion of the shank 11. This calk may be constructed of any suitable material, preferably steel and preferably having the tip or pointed end thereof tempered to increase the wearing qualities.

The numeral 1 1 designates the plug or clamping member which has a bore 15 ex tending therethrough and which is externally tapered, and may be either screw threaded externally as shown in Figs. 3 and (3 or may be smooth as shown in Fig. 4. The plug 141 has a head 16 at its larger end, which head is preferably hexagonal, and the bore 15 is counter-sunk at the end thereof adjacent the head 16. The bore 15 of the plug 1 1 is of a diameter to permit of the passage of the shank 11 therethrough, and

the counter sunk end 18 of the said bore is adapted to snugly receive the fillet 10 between the calk and the shank thereof. This plug 14 is also provided with a longitudinal slit 17 extending from its smaller end into but not through the head 16, whereby the smaller end of the plug is contractible. The plug 14 is of a length equal to the distance between the groove 12 and the inner end of the calk 8, in order that when the shank is projected through the plug 14: the

inner wall of the groove 12 will be flush with the smaller end of the plug. This plug may also be constructed of any suitable material, preferably steel, and is adapted to engage in a tapered socket or opening in the horseshoe, in which event the smaller end thereof will be contracted in order to clamp the shank of the calk. \Vhen the plug l l is provided with screw threads the opening of the horseshoe is provided with screw threads in order to permit the plug to be screwed into the horseshoe, and when the plug 1 1 is smooth, the socket or opening of the horseshoe is also smooth, and in this case the plug is driven into the said opening or socket, as will be understood.

The locking member is shown in Fig. 5, and comprises a washer 22 having a slot 20 leading from the opening 25 thereof to its periphery, this locking member being approximately U-shaped and the slot 20 being narrower than the diameter of the opening 25 in order to provide a contracted mouth. The washer 22 is of a diameter equal to or preferably smaller than the smaller end of the plug 14 and the opening 25 thereof is adapted to snugly embrace the reduced portion of the shank 11 formed by the groove or channel 12', while the slot or contracted mouth 20 is of a width slightly less than the said reduced portion of the shank. The arms of the locking member which have been designated by the numeral '19 are adapted to engage the shank of the calk in the groove 12, the contracted mouth 20 causing the arms to spread or spring'outwardly slightly to receive the reduced portion of the shank 11 formed by the groove 12 in the 11 of the calk is locked to the plug 14 by opening 25.

In use, the shank of the calk is projected or passed through the plug 14 from the larger end to the smaller end, and the washer or locking member 22 is then engaged to the shank in the groove 12, and in so doing will contact with the smaller end of the plug 14 to lock the shank against removal. The plug 14 will then be readily engaged to the horseshoe, as will be understood, and in which event the smaller end thereof will be contracted to clamp the shank 11. In this manner, the calk may be conveniently locked to the plug 14 in order to prevent the shank of the calk from slipping from the plug, and the calk and plug may be readily handled as a unit. The flange or head 13 in being enlarged in diameter will be projected beyond the outline of the bore 15 when the plug is contracted in order to provide an additional locking means for the shank of the calk. This is of advantage for the reason that, should the locking member 22 not be engaged to the shank, due to negligence, inadvertence, mistake or the like, the shank will still be locked against removal when the plug is engaged to the horseshoe. Therefore, should the plug and calk be applied to the horseshoe, the plug will clamp the shank of the calk and in being contracted will also look the shank of the calk against removal irrespective of whether the looking member 22 is employed or not, the locking member being of particular advantage for handling the plug and calk as a unit. The calk may be readily removed from the horseshoe without detaching the horseshoe, as will be understood, by removing the plug 14, in which event, the calk may be detached from the plug.

For convenience in attaching and detaching the locking member 22 to the shank of the calk, there has been provided an implement as shown in Fig. 7 which comprises a handle 23 stamped fro-m sheet metal or constructed in any other suitable manner, which is provided at one end with a fork or bifurcation 24. By engaging the inner ends of the arms 19 of the locking member, the locking member may be readily forced into engagement with the shank, and when engaged with the shank may be readily detached by engaging the fork 24 with the outer ends of the arms 19 and then by forcing the locking member from the shank, as

will be readily understood. 7

The fillet 10 provides for additional strength in order to prevent the calk 8 from being broken or sheared from the shank 11, and the slit 17 in entering the head but not extending through the head 16 also provides for strength, in that the head 16 is solid at its outer end.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, the shank means of a cotter pin 19 which is inserted through an opening 12 provided in the outer end of the shank, and which pin engages in a notch 21 in the outer end of the plug in order to prevent the shank from be ing removed from the plug.

It is further understood that this device is susceptible of other alterations or deviations of its details within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what i A is claimed as new is 1. A comprising a contractible plug having a bore therein, and a calk having a shank insertible into the bore of the plug to be clamped thereby and having an enlarged portion so that when the plug is contractedto clamp the shank, the enlarged portion locks the shank against removal.

2. A calk attachment for horseshoes comprising a contractible plug having a bore therethrough, and a calk having a shank adapted to be projected through the said bore of the plug to be clamped thereby with a slightly enlarged portion at the outer end of the shank in order that when the plug is contracted to clamp the shank the, same is locked against removal.

3. A calk attachment for horseshoes comprising a contractible plug having a bore therethrough, a calk having a shank adapted to be projected through the bore of the plug to be clamped thereby, and a member engageable with the outer end of the shank to lock the same against removal.

4. A calk attachment for horseshoes comprising a contractible plug having a bore therethrough, a calk having a shank adapted to be projected through the bore of the plug to be clamped thereby and having an annular groove adjacent its outer end, and a U-shaped member having its arms engageable to the shank in the said groove in order to lock the shank against removal.

5. A calk attachment for horseshoes comprising a contractible plug having a bore therethrough, a calk having a shank adapted to be projected through the bore of the plug to be clamped thereby and having an annular groove adjacent its outer end with the portion of the shank beyond calk attachment for horseshoes the said groove slightly enlarged, and a U- shaped member having its arms engageable to the shank in the said groove in order to lock the shank against removal.

6. A calk comprising a contractible plug having a bore therethrough, a calk having a shank adapted to be projected through the bore of the plug to be clamped thereby and having an annular groove adjacent its outer end, and a U-shaped member having its arms engageable with the shank in the said groove to lock the shank against removal and having a slightly contracted mouth in order that the arms thereof must spring in engaging the shank.

7. A calk attachment for horseshoes comprising an externally tapering and screw threaded plug having a head at its larger end and having a bore therethrough with the end of the bore adjacent the head attachment for horseshoes counter-sunk, and the plug having a longitudinal slit extending from its smaller end into the said head, a calk having a shank adapted to be projected through the bore of the plug to be clamped thereby and the calk and shank having a fillet therebetween adapted to be received by the counter-sunk end of the bore, the shank having an annular groove adjacent its outer end and the portion of the shank beyond the said groove being slightly increased in diameter, and a U-shaped member having its arms engageable with the shank in the said groove to lock the shank against removal.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WALLACE MILLER. lVitnesses:

J. HENRY MILLER, ALVIN L. BRUMBACH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

